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Your Quick and Dirty Guide to Sharktank

I love that SharkTank is killing it ! Its doing incredibly well and viewership continues to go up. What’s been the most amazing and rewarding is the number of teenagers that watch, and even more incredibly, the number of kids that watch with their parents.

They dont Hulu it. They get together in front of the TV on Friday nights at 8pm EST , tune to ABC and watch and discuss the show. Try that in front of an IPad or Iphone. And not only do they watch as a family, they even tweet about it as well. #Sharktank continues to trend as all the Sharks tweet in real time. (And yes, we were the first tv show to do so when we started doing it last season )

As much fun as it is to brag about the show , that is not the point of this post. This post is to provide answers to the questions that I repetitively get about SharkTank. So here we go:

1. Yes it is our own money that we invest in the deals.

2. We know absolutely nothing other than the name of the entrepreneur when they walk into the Shark Tank. Which is exactly why you see us all start taking notes the minute they start talking and telling us what they are looking for.

3. We do not have access to computers. So we can not do a search or get any other information about the company or industry. Every thing we know or ask comes off the top of our heads.

4. We don’t get to see the tv packages that you see on the show until the show airs. I personally never watch any advance copies of the show. I see it for the first time when it airs on ABC. It makes the tweets more off the cuff.

5. The pitches that you see are just as we see them. The entrepreneurs don’t get any do overs. If they screw up , they screw up and the show must go on. Some have freaked out, and we try to calm them and get them back on track.

6. The pitches and the Q&A can go on for anywhere from 20 minutes for a deal everyone hates to more than an hour for a deal everyone is competing for. The producers then cut it down to what you see on air

7. The Sharks like each other away from Shark Tank, but when we are competing for deals, we are really competing. We get mad at each other. None of us like to lose deals to the others.

8. The pressure in the SharkTank is off the charts. The Sharks feel it. The entrepreneurs feel it and sometimes get caught up in it. That sometimes leads the entrepreneurs to “embellish” details of their business. This is why we do due diligence after the show. It can sometimes be very, very difficult for the entrepreneurs to not get caught up in trying to get a deal. Its our job to catch any mis statements when we do our drill downs after the show.

9. Yes Kevin is always exactly the way he is on the show.

10. We all absolutely love doing the show

Tell the World Please !

78 thoughts on “Your Quick and Dirty Guide to Sharktank”

I have to repeat the desire of a few other posters for a less-heavily-edited version of the show. The cuts are occasionally painful, and I can feel that the audience is missing a lot of buildup and detail. If ABC could release an alternate version, I think the segments could average twice as long and be twice as intriguing and educational.

Perhaps ABC could allow extended cuts from the older seasons to be aired on some cable channel…..say, I don’t know–AXS TV, for instance?

Mark, I also do enjoy this show, My name is David M. Barker (also on FB) I am wondering if you have an email address or link (which I was no able to find) for the purpose of selling a product concept “game” which I an unable to market because of health and fiances. I have made attempts before to contact yourself and the other sharks but I recieved no reply. (my email also on FB)

Hey Bret, here are a couple of tips that I have picked up from watching Shark Tank.

Don’t overvalue your company.

Give the Sharks right of first offer on future products or services you may have in the pipeline, don’t use the sharks to develop your first project while keeping the ones in the pipeline a secret, they really hate that.

Are you ready to be bought out? Beware of the “24 second clock” that Mr. Cuban likes to pull out of the blue. If you are not prepared to be bought out, have a couple of counter proposals ready for less money and a residual per item sold.

Remind the sharks that as an inventor you don’t want to be completely shut out of future successes regarding your product, and to show your commitment you would take less cash up front.

When the sharks try to get a residual per item sold for themselves, make sure that that residual payment will be a draw against the amount they are putting up front. Once the residual payment has equaled what they invested, the residual to the shark should be dropped.

Possibly the most important tip, you should just watch all the shows to get a feel for what works and what does not work. One of the biggest surprise segments to me was the couple that had some type of tape for taping up parts of the body to make the person look younger and less flabby, but they were trying to sell the sharks only the body tape, but not the face tape.

Even when they gave their final statement after their statement, they still did not get how insulting that was to the sharks, to use a shark investment for the body tape so that they could then re-invest in the face tape products without the sharks involvement. The sharks rightly felt that there was no difference between the face and body tape, and that both should have been included in the negotiation.

If the Sharks think you are the star behind the product, be prepared to quit your day job and commit fully to your own dream product, and be prepared to be offered a “development salary” of around 50,000 to 72,000 a year, definitely no six figure per year deal to develop your product.

Hello Mark, my name is Eugene Spivak. I represent a company called MPAL, which is looking for funding. I would like to show you a quick 30 second video of MPAL’s innovative technology. I’m sure it will interest you. Thank you, Mark.

Love Shark Tank as does my 11 year-old son Steven. As soon as someone is done with their elevator pitch in front of you guys he starts asking questions: Do they have a patent? What has been their revenue? Are they making money? What are their sales projections?

Given I am an entrepreneur he is constantly asking me when we nail a deal. “Dad what was your margin on that deal?” A chip off the ol’ block.

If you have any guidance for funding (we are just going for our first round) feel free to drop me a line. – Sincerely Dave Gee, CEO – Bungee Loyalty Programs (800)-287-7198 – http://www.bungeeloyaltyprograms.com

I have just recently engaged in a heated twitter exchange with Scott Jordan. I purchased a travel vest, which is a great product, but that’s where it stops. I was up until the airing of the show an evangelist for their products. I went as far as to pin on Pinterest, but then proceeded to remove it once I saw the show and experienced on television what you experienced first hand.

Scott had me listen to a podcast and an interview you did to show me that you were after blood and were targeting him. The fellow has a persecution complex to say the least. I am really angered by the fact that somebody with a decent product and the ability to work with one of the sharks to really blow the product out, held back on sales of the actual product and just went on his licensing escapade.

Am so glad you called him out on this. He sets a horrible example for good meaning, honest, virtuous entrepreneurs. The result of the heated exchange now means that I no longer have to hear from him, i have him blocked on Twitter and have set up a rule/filter to deposit any mail from him or his company in tis rightful place – the trash (/dev/null)

PS, it was great walking the Comdex floor with you and Barb Darrow of CRN back in the day. I remember you were one of the ones making tech stock picks.

“A perfect example could be the guy with the five minute furniture. When the sharks found out that this person had around 80 products in various stages of research and development, the sharks basically felt insulted that they were only being given access to one of the products”.

The guy you’re referring to, despite his claims, is not an inventor, but rather a product designer. The 5 minute furniture and the product he refereed to as “making money” were designed by committee where he poses a possible solution to a common problem and members of a website comment and suggest ways to improve the design. All those who contribute get proportional credit in the form of royalties if the product gets produced by the website owners and makes any money. The “80 inventions” he’s referring to are only conceptional and exist only on paper or in a CAD. Almost all are poorly conceived and likely non-functional (hence no working prototypes). Others are simple re-designs of pre-existing products for example the “plug-hub” he claimed had sold “10,000 units in the first month”. Its just a slick-looking cable organizer that you might see close replicas of at BB&B or Ikea. There is a very distinctive dividing line between inventor wannabees, product designers and legitimate innovators. Also, keep in mind, while there may be a customer base for book shelves that erect without tools in 5 minutes the market is quite saturated and books are becoming more obsolete (not to mention the concept of displaying one’s books on a book shelf). His number 1 product out of 80 occupies a narrow and disappearing niche, which is perhaps why he’s still, to this day, pitching the product and looking for buyers. I think the sharks were more aware of this than was made clear in the show.

Mark, I love the show and the way that you present offers to people. I think it would be interesting to know what % of the deals sharks make that actually return a profit, or even more interesting (and more unlikely) to know the % return on all the investments of each shark has made. I love the updates we get but I think knowing how many of the deals turn a profit or how much of a profit would be very interesting as well.

I see your point, that marketing and shelf space and being able to create inventory are all necessary parts of a successful business, but the product still has to exist and be functional.

When I have watched shark tank, I notice that the sharks have a rotating choice of talking points, such as, “you haven’t made any money yet???”, Where is the product???, you want our money and you don’t even have the product ready to go???, all the way to, “you need our contacts to properly grow your business”.

The last point is a given for practically any person appearing on the show, however, the existence of the product, and the ability to make it a reasonable price even if money is provided, are probably going to always be the foundation upon which all the other points set upon.

A perfect example could be the guy with the five minute furniture. When the sharks found out that this person had around 80 products in various stages of research and development, the sharks basically felt insulted that they were only being given access to one of the products.

At that point, it did not matter how profitable the one product was, but rather why they could not have access to all of these other products in various stages of development. Now if this person had come on the show and said he had 80 products in various stages of development, but none were ready to demonstrate, he would have been laughed off of the stage.

“Wouldn’t even need to be on the show, would love to be able to just offer better counters simply because the hard work has already been done, a product exists, and no matter what, that will always be the hardest step”.

I wish I could agree with you, but in reality its quite the opposite. For some (and I include myself in this group) it is very easy to come up with products. I’ve even managed to get some manufactured and on the shelves. The hardest part ~BY FAR~ is securing the dollars to bring an idea into the world. With financial backing I’d have a long sting of pretty awesome products out there, which is why I applied to be on the show. Its a long shot to even get on SharkTank, but if you put out enough shots one will hopefully hit home.

An Enablr is one who has the vision to change the way others envision their world and create value in what ever they put their mind to. Contrary to the norm, we invest in starving entrepreneurs who can make a business on a dime, not products themselves. We provide networking to future world leaders and encourage instability and disruptive thinking.

I am reaching out to you because you exemplify what an Enablr is and your experiences make you the ideal mentor for our newly established organization.

I have an idea, it’s all Internet and need help formulating a plan. Mark’s TECH contacts would help me crush a couple of poor concepts that are out there. While closely related to automobile dealerships, the concept can apply to any business concerned with ratings and reviews, particularly around Google. Just drop me a note if you’d like. bobwaa@gmail.com

My wife and I love Shark Tank and it has become a weekly ritual at our house. I relate to many of the guests, as I seem to get ideas monthly that I would love pursue if the financial backing was there.

Have you guys ever thought of creating a companion show for inventors and idea people? You can put together teams of brilliant thinkers- most of who have no administrative skills- and assign them an expert businessman as a coach. The teams could be given simple problem-solving challenges such as making furniture more practical or solving a common everyday irritant in life. The right contestants will have NO shortage of ideas. Brainstorm, let the coach steer them to the best idea or two, then bring in a designer to give their idea beauty and appeal. Ship it off to a manufacturing facility or simply get a 3D printed prototype. Then at the end of the show each team can present the new idea to a panel of marketing experts – or everyday consumers- to see who had the best idea. Heck- you can even do what they are doing on the new fashion show and make all of the ideas available online the very next day. If that happens, you could use online sales to determine the actual winner the following week.

Call the show something like “Think Tank”, and advertise it as a place where real-life innovation takes place right before your eyes. Viewers can submit everyday problems if they want, and see these age-old irritants finally addressed. As an added benefit, they also get to watch a room full of quirky ADD geniuses interact. It would be like “The Big Bang Theory”, only with 10 times the quirkiness.

Of course there should be some kind of incentive for the idea people, and I imagine they will receive royalties for their big ideas. So many people just sit on their ideas because they are not very organized or simply because they spend all of their time trying to make ends meet. Meanwhile, people with the money or the ability to get things done end up running with inferior ideas. This show would give creatives the props they deserve and provide them with an environment that would allow them to thrive. In turn, the businessmen discover brilliant thinkers and the public benefits.

Not quite sure I should have thrown that out there. Maybe I should file a poor-man’s copyright on the idea or something. There is a great show buried in there somewhere, but it will just sit in my brain and collect dust if it is left up to me to implement! Just send me 5% of the royalties, put my name in the credits and give me a shot on one of the teams. THAT would be fun.

Again, thanks for being such a champion for innovators everywhere. So glad to be rooting for you from my North Texas living room.
Jim

Hi Mark, thanks for the feedback. I’ve applied to be on the show, but of course the producers must get tens of thousands of applications each season. I’m a Biomedical Research Scientist by training, but also an inventor. I’d really like to get on the show or to be able to pitch you guys in some other way. Please could ya point the producers in my direction or get in touch? Worth a try, right?! http://www.grasshopperproducts.com

I love the show, Mark. I learn a lot watching it and there need to be more shows like this on TV which encourage business growth and smart investing. I like seeing the questions you guys ask and what you’re looking for. Great!

In a few years, I’ll have a company to pitch… maybe not to you guys necessarily but to someone and I want to be ready. I’m just waiting for 1 million or more in sales. We’ll get there.

Funny how the show does focus mostly on products and not on web based companies. I have a web based company that take lifestyle products to market …I have been working on an international distribution network all via the internet. I like the concept and have learned a lot about the players especially Mark so I have to agree that they need to mix it up a little more. I am going to try my hand at trying to get on the show.
Rocco CEO http://www.hairflix.com

Mark – First, you are my poster child for “not everyone lost money in 2001 in the post bubble internet”. I think it’s awesome you took money off the table, you and Paul Allen are what I aspire to achieve. I like what you’ve done with the Mavs as well, as an owner. Cudos.

However, on SharkTank – I liked seeing you jump in, you provide a good mix to the crowd, better than a broke Infomercial guy that never invested in anything, and had little to offer the entrepreneurs. What I think is unfair to the entrepreneurs, as well as what I consider a vetting or auction of sorts, is your bullying these guys to take an offer without allowing them to interact with the other potential investors. It’s like only allowing 1 PE firm to bid on a company in an auction setting. It does not foster partnership or the best deal with the entrepreneur, and for those sharks that actually may have the right deal to offer, right contacts, it makes you look like ______________ fill in your own choice of words there. You’re injecting a real time “no shop” provision in an open, rather than closed, forum.

Finally, rumor is post filming, some sharks may not actually follow up on a deal. Additionally, diligence has killed a few, or maybe many deals. The show should reflect that in some sort of post mortem, to show those entrepreneurs, and kids, you can’t just walk in with anything and exaggerate your #’s / claims. The larger entrepreneurs should pitch accountancy, audited #’s etc as a feature, to show these fans that integrity is proven, rather than stated.

That being said, and I am going though PE diligence right now with my own company, this show has injected a bit of rock star status in the eyes of my 12 year old son about his dad. Thanks to you and the fellow sharks…yes even Li’l Kev’n.

i disagree with alexlogic. it’s actually a shark eat dog world in business and the marketplace isn’t going to cut these aspirants a break. don’t forget the airing isn’t in real time. the entrepreneur’s intransigence maybe on the cutting room floor. why don’t you let the sharks and the directors of the show determine how they act?

Although I am a media consultant, you haven’t asked for my advice, so here it is for free, Mark. You sharks have got to stop neutering these INVENTORS by buying them out completely with no future royalty. It’s insulting and makes you sharks look really bad and I believe is quickly building up bad will with the millions who are watching.

A few weeks ago when you threw the 500,000 offer to the sales guy, it was an incredibly brilliant move because he was on a sinking ship and you knew he would not take it because he was just too full of himself at that moment in time. That was excellent television, and I believe was a segment that should be entered for Emmy consideration by your producers.

However, since then, I’ve seen two more instances where you and Lori Greiner have behaved horribly in attempting to buy two different INVENTORS completely out with no royalty of any kind.

You two offered the five minute furniture guy a buyout. This is ridiculous. Buy him out, and then once you gotten back your money five times over, then offer him a royalty. To completely ace out an INVENTOR forever, is bullcrap, you should know better.

Lori Greiner is out of control, but she’s cute, so she gets away with it, so far. If she continues to make these arrogantly put offish offers that she gets dumped from her own channel, what a horrible way for her to treat INVENTORS.

And the wine saver guy, you were so horrible to him. He was such a gentleman and you and Lori literally took 200,000 off the table simply because he felt he should have a royalty and didn’t jump like a lap dog quick enough for your two tastes. To deny people a chance to feel good over their own invention for a longer period of time just so you can train them to know what it feels like to get a hit, like a drug addict, is appalling.

You and Lori owe him 200,000 dollars as far as I, and I think a few million people also think the same way.

regarding the wine ballon guy. When you’re a “one shot” inventor you’re more likely to hold out for that deal you can retire on. However, if the sharks offered me 600k for one of my inventions I’d take the deal before the offer was fully out of their mouths and invest it in developing and manufacturing some of my other products. Anyway, I kinda understand the guy’s hesitation, but either way I believe the deal didn’t go through due to patent issues. So he’s not out 200k, but 600k.

The either way can’t be part of the discussion because that was after the fact. I think your position otherwise is valid, however, I think all inventors love that little reminder that they did a good thing, and royalty payments do just that.

The inventor was financially punished for hesitating because they wanted to be part of the success of the project.

I am sure the inventor would have been happy with 200,000 up front, and a 5% royalty. I would love to be a guppy on the show that can come up with creative counter offers.

Wouldn’t even need to be on the show, would love to be able to just offer better counters simply because the hard work has already been done, a product exists, and no matter what, that will always be the hardest step.

#1 SHOW ON TV! After watching tonight, I’m debating on submitting my invention to your show. I would rather just contact you about it personally, how could I get 2 minutes of your time? I have sent you an email from your fan website..

Mark, I LOVE the show.
I show parts of it from my abc i-pad app through my projector to my high school Business and Marketing classes. I have the best job in the world teaching Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and other classes to high school students. It is so great to see the lights come on and students start to get it. I also advise the DECA club. Please go to http://www.deca.org and check out this wonderful student organization for high school students wanting to go into Business.

We are having our next International Competition in Salt Lake City late April and will have 14,000 students there. It would make a great place to do a live Shark Tank show. Have some of the winning DECA entrepreneurship students pitch. It would be really cool for the Shark Tank to show the Kauffman sketchbook videos and or the TED talk by Cameron Herold.

Let’s teach and coach this next generation to be Entrepreneurs and watch them change the world and solve problems.

Well, I was on the show and I can attest every word Mark is saying. It is one pitch and one shot for the entrepreneur and yes, it does get wild and crazy in there. Sharks bombarded me with questions and let me tell you – you have to think fast on your feet and react to their mood swings. It was definitely quite an experience for me. I loved it:)

I believe many of these comments, including my previous comment, begs for an answer many of us have…once we have our ducks in a row, how do we pierce the corporate shield to reach someone who can can either help us reach the next level or tell us we aren’t ready for the next level.

I would love for you to take a look at totemtech.com. I have a PPM in place that I would love to share with you. I have eight children who love watching the show with me! Living in a house with an entrepreneur they know exactly where you are coming from when speak about passion and putting in the time to build your dream! Thank you for getting them to see what I have lived and preached!

Thanks for the post, Love seeing the show. I’ve been a fan since it started.

I noticed they changed up the Sharks this season too. Great new dynamic haha I personally love it when you all start to take swings at each other and really fight for a deal. Especially when it leaves Kevin out HAHA

PS. I noticed your facebook plugin for the site stoppped working and you have a small alignment issue on the right- Would be happy to take care of it for you!

We watch every week as a family – As an inventor, this gives my kids a very real picture of what I do and that there are other people as nuts as me. :)
I like the fire that it sparks in my kids to dream big, but the show also accurately depicts that only if you work hard, have good numbers and do your research….do you get a deal!

As a side note, my kids who are from Pittsburgh, go to EKC and both play a lot of basketball hang on every word you say! Rachel

Mark,
I need to know how to submit a product for the show or to you. It is in the exercise equipment type category. Everyone is wanting to lose weight and have a nice body. I really think it would be a GREAT seller!!!!!

Yeah, I like Shark Tank. I even check-in on your blog, and other media dribblings, from time to time.

What I don’t like is all the swings you take at online TV. Below the belt shots, back of the head blows, elbows and knees to the groin… like the iPad dig. I do HULU Shark Tank, on a connected TV, when I Want to see it.

Online TV will soon be competitive, and when its all over it will land the heavier blows… because in the end, my friend, the battle of the tube will be decided by variety and choice, and new media wastes more of that in a month than old media ever had.

The tide will turn when we have a business model in our corner… and I see one walking down the isle now. So you might wanna stop the trash talk and put a mouth piece in. The fight is still young.

I started watching the show only recently, but have become a fan. One thing I have been wondering since I saw the episode where Lori offered the “towel woman” a $50,000 cheque up front, and your mention of doing due diligence after the show has made me wonder, have any of the Sharks backed out of a deal after doing research? There’s been, at least, a couple of times I wondered the truth after the entrepreneur comes out with a rather vague tidbit (“I’m in negotiations with a major outlet”) only after being backed in a corner.

Also, after reading the Steve Jobs biography, I wondered what your reaction was to his comment about hating when people called themselves entrepreneurs when all they want to do is make a company and then cash out. It seems to me that when bringing in investors, like in Shark Tank, the expectation is to simply make as much quick profit as possible, rather than trying to build long term. Some of the Sharks seem more focused on this (like Kevin) than others (like yourself).

Mark, I was about to give up on Shark Tank after the show seemed to turn into more of a “goldfish bowl” as participants were sent out of the room so the “sharks” could work inside deals.
However, from your first appearance, the show changed. You have truly turned it into a shark tank and have made Kevin all but an unnecessary side show. Keep up the great work.

Mark, love Sharktank but we don’t get it in Australia so I download it.
I’m doing some work with cable operators in Australia as part of Sports Geek’s work, my offer to the Sharktank on Australian TV on Twitter is genuine. More than happy to make it happen.

Really think the show could go to the next level with a FAB hostess. Someone with great personality from the business world; entrepreneurs can feel like they have a cheerleader in their court; and someone to call out you sharks when you start bragging about yourselves too much:) The show rocks and has SO much fun potential! And I am the exact person to do this and, of course, it is my idea! Please let me know how to follow up! And congratulations!

I really wanted to see the last episode of the BeneFACTor to see who you would of awarded the million pesos too. However I was not allowed to see it because you cancelled it. Yes I was a little bit dismayed, however maybe you still have that last episode the uncut version and we can watch it while we are smoking a box of romeo n juliets I brought back 10 years ago from Cuba.
Im the guy that said, “I have been Shawshanked my whole life and that I wanted my Redemption back.” Well I C now that your fellow shark O’Leary is now doin a show on it. Ironic isnt it. The world works in mysterious ways.

P.S by the way in regards to your post your show is interesting but hasn`t anyone ever told you that everything has been done and invented already.

For those interested in follow-ups, our best advice is to follow the entrepreneurs on Twitter. Most are active there and you can always chime in and ask a question. For a comprehensive list (that needs third season additions) go see: http://www.qubits.com/ABC/Shark.html

The efforts don’t stop with an appearance on Shark Tank, often that is just the beginning.

Mark’s not lying when he says that the first time he sees the show is when it airs. Check out this story (http://bit.ly/AB9OPP) of how me, Nick Tippmann an Indiana University undergrad (Mark’s alma mater), planned and hosted a “Shark Tank” viewing party in downtown Indy during Super Bowl Weekend in just 9 nine hours and got Mark himself to come without ever knowing him. Other attendees included Priceline.com founder Scott Case and NYT Best Seller Larry Chiang.

Mark was awesome and I can’t thank him enough for showing! I got to split a table with him at the Westin Hotel and share my thoughts and opinions about the show as we watched it aired on ABC. His comments about the contestants are even more candid off camera.

Really, Mark is great and totally down to earth. He took pictures with anyone who asked and even gave some young entrepreneurs who were at the party some advice on their ventures.

Hey Mark, I’m in Sweden now – no satelite TV. Is there any way to watch Shark Tank online? You’re not planing to get maybe the best moments on Youtube? Or like Jimmy Kimmel full episodes? I really think it could boost your TV audience.
Regards,
Alex

I just watched all 4 episodes of season 3 on my laptop from the comfort of my bed via HULU…sorry Mark. I really enjoyed the show it’s one of the best shows I have seen for awhile. I definitely prefer the dynamic between the current sharks instead of the previous season.

I’ve watched Shark Tank a few times and enjoyed it, but don’t have time to regularly watch t.v. My 9yo daughter, Robin, on the other hand, loves watching it. I think she might be the only little girl in her class who replies, when asked the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” with “an entrepreneur!” :-)

It’s fan-damn-tastic! I take it from your post, that you can still back out, once the show is over?

On the show where the guy was offered 600K for his business for a wine keeper (and said he had a notebook full of ideas), I literally screamed, “SOLD!!!!” I don’t even yell that loud at the TV when my Steelers aren’t playing to my expectations.

Looking forward to watching The Tank, email blasts do work! So the difference between Shark Tank and The Apprentice would be the guests on The Tank are new fresh, talent & ideas, as opposed to old washed up headed for the dustbin ideas & guests, is that about right? o.k. I’ll watch the show.

To: allcommercial 5:19 pm — Ref: “She continued to tell me that the key might be to patent and license the idea vs. manufacturing and distribution. She even said that if her small company did well with the shoe wouldn’t a big company just do the same idea and squash her like the little cockroach she is..” I had to come back and tell you I’m totally charmed by your 12 yr old daughter and her “take” on investing. LOL I have 2 patents with a 3rd one pending and yes indeedy I believe going the licensing route is the way to go (and seriously hope to avoid being squashed like the afore-mentioned cockroach)! Thanks for sharing that story .. I love, love, love her attitude and get-it-done mindset.

The show is great for kids. This is the only show that we sit down together as a family and watch. My oldest daughter even makes us wait for her to come home from collage on the weekend so she can watch it with us. During an effort to raise funds to send my 12 year old daughters basketball team to the nationals this year in Ohio I made a comment that it is easier to make money in business than to have people give it to you. She responded that we should manufacture and sell a five in one sports shoe that her and her friend designed. She even made a prototype and found a off shore manufacture. When I said that this would take a lot of money she responded with maybe we could have the “Sharks” invest. She continued to tell me that the key might be to patent and license the idea vs. manufacturing and distribution. She even said that if her small company did well with the shoe wouldn’t a big company just do the same idea and squash her like the little cockroach she is. LOL, The Shark Tank is an educational program for future VC. PS. If you would like the entire pitch from a Shark educated 12 year old just let me know :)

The most confusing thing to us at Hail Guardian (a Dallas, TX based start up), Mark, is that in your effort to be a part of more and more successful businesses and create jobs along the way, that you’d spend so much of your valuable time being a part of a tv show which gives you very little control and quite frankly no control over what you’re being pitched.

An entrepreneur can’t get to you directly. Gosh knows we’ve tried. We are Texans. We are solving a problem which plagues Texans. We did everything in our power to be a part of this season of Sharktank, including doing a demonstration in the parking lot of the Sharktank producers offices in Santa Monica, so we could get in front of you. But it didn’t happen. Why? Near as we can tell, it’s because we are pre-market, whereas the participants we’ve watched on tv so far this year have sold something. So, why did Sharktank waste our time in the first place? Why didn’t they pass on us instead of having us expend time, effort and energy to get on the show if we didn’t meet their criteria?

We are http://www.hailguardian.com. We are Youtube channel hailguardian. We are going to market in 2012. We are going to out sell every product ever backed on Sharktank, combined. We are Texans. And you are watching someone pitch you doggie cakes. Hey, but they’ve sold some. pfff And by the way, you should have signed Chandler.

My 14 years old nephew actually would talk to me after we watched the show together. We host an innovation and entrepreneurship summer for the kids (15 to 18) every summer in June. My nephew has helped me since he was 11. Interestingly, he already gave me a few ideas to incorporate for this year’s camp. Thanks to the show!

Mark, are you investing in your shark tank companies for the long term or to get it built up and sold for a quicker hit/payout? Or both?

On your next visit to Chicago, perhaps when your Mavs come here to get spanked by D Rose & Co in the playoffs, I insist you be my guest at my new restaurant. Maybe you’ll even get a dish named after you (The Mark Cuban Shark Tank: Texas bbq’d gefilte fish. ICK!)

You’ll be happy to know that Shark Tank is mandatory t.v. for Texas A&M MBA candidates. I was down in College Station yesterday to judge a business pitch competition and several students said watching your show helped them prepare. The show has some real traction. Congrats.

My day of pitching my own company to investors draws ever closer and we will soon be at that point, so I very much like to observe the types of things that are notable to the sharks… and those sorts of things are not always obvious, (or expected), and sometimes curious; The show is a great learning forum, wildly entertaining, frequently funny and every now and then VERY GOOD TV. I also like to see the “after-stories” of previous presenters and wish the producers would feature more of those.

I would really like to see the same concept be used to have entrepreneurs pitch web-based businesses to a group of sharks. Although, I can understand why this program focuses on products. It makes the show multidimensional.

From an investor’s perspective, don’t you think the lack of research is a bit of a dangerous and risky way to spend your money? Sure, if you have ‘money to throw away’, maybe this is like gambling (i.e., the cost of admission to play); but I don’t think taking a few notes and ‘feeling out’ these CEO’s is a generally responsible way for most to invest. You’d have to agree, right?
from mc> its only dangerous if you invest in businesses whose industries you know nothing about. Which is why you see me say all the time that it’s a business i dont know anything about, so Im out